The Effectiveness of Psychological Workshops for Coaches on Well-Being and Psychomotor Performance of Children Practicing Football and Gymnastics.

Coach workshops based on seven principles (inspiration, explanation, expectation, support, reward, appreciation, growth and winning) enhance the sport experience of adult athletes. Therefore, we have investigated the effects of such workshops with coaches of child athletes. Study participants were coaches of 57 9- to 12-year old girls (practicing gymnastics) and boys (practicing football). Three coaches of 28 children attended three workshops over 12 weeks, while a control group of 5 coaches of 29 children attended no workshops. Measures of well-being and psychomotor performance were taken on the children before and after the intervention; differences in mean changes between intervention and control groups were adjusted for baseline, standardized, and assessed with a conservative magnitude-based decision method. There were clear substantial effects of the workshop on motivation averaged across several dimensions (girls, large, most likely beneficial), on a decision test (boys, small-moderate, very likely beneficial), on state anxiety self-reflection (girls, moderate, likely harmful), and on reaction time (boys, small, possibly harmful). The beneficial effects of the workshop in this pilot study are encouraging, but the unclear and potentially harmful effects and the roles of presenter- and coach-specific effects need to be investigated further with a representative sample of coaches and more children before the workshop is recommended for implementation.

Metrology of Supraspinatus Tendon Thickness in Swimmers with Tendinopathy Using Ultrasound Imaging: An Intra- and Inter-Rater Reliability Study.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the relative and absolute intra- and inter-rater reliability of supraspinatus tendon (SST) thickness. Materials: Thirty adolescent swimmers with supraspinatus (SS) tendinopathy (n = 15) and a control-matched group (n = 15) were evaluated. Tendon thickness was measured according to four different measure procedures, i.e., (1) at 15 mm, (2) at 10, 20, and 30 mm, (3) at 10, 15, and 20 mm, and (4) 5 and 10 mm lateral to the most hyperechogenic reference point of the biceps tendon. Each examiner took two US images for the test measurements with a 10 min rest period. After 30 min, the subjects underwent retest measurements that were also repeated 1 week later. Results: SST thickness was greater in swimmers with SS tendinopathy compared with the matched control group for each procedure and rater (p < 0.001). Intra- and inter-rater reliability was good to excellent (ICC2.3: 0.78-0.98 and 0.83-0.97, respectively) in both groups. The lowest intra- and inter-rater reliability was found in procedures no. 2 and 4 (ICC2.3: 0.78 and 0.83). However, procedure no. 3 was the most reliable with the lowest error rate (ICC2.3: 0.92-0.97; SEM: 0.05-0.10 mm; MDC: 0.14-0.28 mm). Conclusions: The study confirmed the diagnostic value of ultrasound in SS tendinopathy. A multiple-reference-point procedure including a simple methodology (10, 15, and 20 mm from biceps tendon), was defined as the most reliable, expressed by the highest intra- and inter-rater ICCs.

Characteristics of Functional Stability in Young Adolescent Female Artistic Gymnasts.

The aim of this study was to determine whether young adolescent female artistic gymnasts demonstrate better functional stability than age- and sex-matched non-athletes. Different characteristics of the gymnasts' postural control were expected to be observed. Twenty-two 10- to 13-year-old healthy females (ten national-level artistic gymnasts and twelve non-athletes) participated in the study. To assess their forward functional stability, the 30-s limit of stability test was performed on a force plate. The test consisted of three phases: quiet standing, transition to maximal forward leaning, and standing in the maximal forward leaning position. Between-group comparisons of the directional subcomponents of the root mean squares and mean velocities of the center of pressure and rambling-trembling displacements in two phases (quiet standing and standing in maximal leaning) were conducted. Moreover, anterior stability limits were compared. During standing in maximal forward leaning, there were no differences in the center of pressure and rambling measures between gymnasts and non-athletes (p > 0.05). The values of trembling measures in both anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions were significantly lower in gymnasts (p < 0.05). Both groups presented similar values for anterior stability limits (p > 0.05). The comparisons of rambling components may suggest a similar supraspinal control of standing in the maximal leaning position between gymnasts and healthy non-athletes. However, decreased trembling in gymnasts may indicate reduced noise in their postural control system possibly due to superior control processes at the spinal level. The anterior stability limit was not influenced by gymnastics training in female adolescents.

Postural sway in young female artistic and acrobatic gymnasts according to training experience and anthropometric characteristics.

BACKGROUND: Gymnastics training enhances the development of postural control in children and adolescents. In competitive gymnastics, the training regimen is specific to the given gymnastic discipline and is usually followed from the early years of practicing. This study aimed to determine whether postural steadiness differed between young gymnasts practicing two distinct disciplines, and whether it was related to the duration of their training experience, age, and their anthropometric characteristics. METHODS: Thirty 10-13-year-old females ̶ ten artistic gymnasts, ten acrobatic gymnasts (training as "tops"), and ten non-athletes ̶ were examined during 60-s quiet standing trials on a force platform with the eyes open and closed. Their postural sway was represented by directional components of centre of foot pressure mean velocity. Mann-Whitney U, Wilcoxon and Spearman's ρ tests were used for analyses. RESULTS: Anterior-posterior and medial-lateral centre of foot pressure mean velocities were not different between the artistic and acrobatic gymnasts (p > 0.05). In the artistic gymnasts, the duration of training experience, age, body height, body mass, and maturity offset were negatively correlated with the anterior-posterior centre of foot pressure mean velocity under eyes-open conditions. The acrobatic gymnasts' body mass and BMI percentiles were negatively correlated with their anterior-posterior and medial-lateral centre of foot pressure mean velocities under both visual conditions (r ranged from - 0.64 to - 0.93; p < 0.05). The non-athletes' centre of foot pressure mean velocities were non-significantly correlated with their age and anthropometric measures under both visual conditions (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The artistic gymnasts' longer training experience, greater age, body height, body mass, and biological maturity were associated with better anterior-posterior postural steadiness when vision was available; the acrobatic gymnasts' greater body mass and BMI percentiles were associated with better overall postural steadiness regardless of visual conditions. Relationships were observed between postural steadiness and discipline-specific training experience and anthropometric characteristics; however, causes and effects were not proven.

Effectiveness of tuberculosis prophylaxis in patients with HIV/AIDS - retrospective analysis of data from Almaty, Kazakhstan, 2010-2015.

INTRODUCTION: According to data from the National Centre for Prevention and Control of AIDS, in the Republic of Kazakhstan, 45.8% of patients in the symptomatic stages of HIV infection are diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) which is the cause of death in 36% of patients infected with HIV. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to conduct a retrospective analysis of the effectiveness of tuberculosis (TB) chemoprophylaxis among people living with HIV in the Republic of Kazakhstan (RK) in Central Asia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Materials and method. A retrospective analysis of patient health status was performed for each of the 648 patients (323 in the study group and 325 in the control group) during 2010-2015. Data from outpatient treatment charts were used concerning each patient infected with HIV observed at AIDS Treatment Centres. From among the 648 patients infected with HIV, 136 were receiving isoniazid in 2010, and 187 in 2011. The control group consisted of 325 people living with HIV (PLW HIV), who did not received isoniazid during observation. RESULTS: Results. The incidence of TB in patients who underwent chemoprophylaxis did not exceed 0.555/ 100,000 population in the first year of observation. Within 5 years, the TB incidence dropped to 0. In the control group, the TB incidence rate during the first year of observation was 3.262/100,000, with a decrease to 0.364 observed in 2015. Cumulated incidence rate in 2011-2015 in the study group accounted for 1.276/100,000. In the control group, the cumulative incidence was 4.3 times higher and accounted for 5.527. A significant difference in the mortality rate due to TB in the study and control groups was observed, the share of deaths due to TB in study group was 21.6% - nearly 3 times lower than in the control group (57.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Conclusions. The effectiveness of chemoprophylaxis for TB depends on biomedical, organizational and cultural factors. The presence of HIV co-infections is a special situation. Opposite to the majority of reports, in own study, no drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis were observed in relation with chemoprophylaxis with isoniazid. In the examined population, TB chemoprophylaxis reduced the incidence and cumulative incidence of TB among PLW HIV by 3.4-4.8 times. Isoniazid chemoprophylaxis decreased 4-fold the annual and cumulative mortality due to TB.

Comparative analysis of the effectiveness of tuberculosis prophylaxis in patients with HIV/AIDS treated with isoniazid.

INTRODUCTION: The epidemic of human immunodeficiency virus has had a tremendous effect on the epidemic of tuberculosis. Together with the spread of HIV, a great increase has been observed in morbidity due to tuberculosis, both in endemic countries and in those where earlier, as a result of treatment, the frequency of occurrence of tuberculosis had decreased. In 2018, the WHO data demonstrated that the EECA region was the only region worldwide where the epidemics of HIV was still rapidly increasing. The EECA region still struggles with a serious epidemic of tuberculosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Materials and method. The research method applied was comparative analysis of the results of own study and studies by other researchers, concerning the effectiveness of tuberculosis prophylaxis in patients with HIV/AIDS when treated with isoniazid. RESULTS: Results. In own study, it was found that primary morbidity among patients administered isoniazid significantly decreased within 5 years. Incidence rates of primary morbidity were significantly lower than among patients who had not received isoniazid. Relevant studies conducted worldwide, in many cases differed from own study with respect to both the results and approach to the problem, by country or selection of the type of patients participating in the study. However, in all studies, isoniazid was generally a safe and well-tolerated drug, without special side-effects. CONCLUSIONS: Conclusions. All studies analyzed concerning the effectiveness of tuberculosis prophylaxis in patients with HIV/AIDS treated with isoniazid, confirmed the effectiveness of this drug. In the compared studies, applied isoniazid preventive therapy showed no difference in effectiveness according to its duration. Analyzed studies showed similar effectiveness also with respect to a decrease in mortality among patients with TB/HIV/AIDS.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of relaxation in lowering the level of anxiety in young adults - a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: Anxiety is a negative emotion that acts as a mediator between stress stimuli and emotional (physiological) reaction patterns. The myofascial system is particularly sensitive to stress. The aim of this study was to determine which of the 2 popular methods used to reduce psychophysical tension, i.e., soft tissue manipulation and Jacobson's progressive relaxation, is more effective. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was conducted at Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sports in the sports psychology laboratory and the manual therapy room. After performing specialist consultations and interviews to exclude potential participants with contraindications to any of the interventions, the final sample included 90 people who were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment groups. In group I, soft tissue techniques were applied, including the techniques of post-isometric muscle relaxation, elements of myofascial relaxation of tissues, and elastic tissue deformation using the Swedish massage limited to the cervicothoracic complex. In group II, Jacobson's progressive relaxation was performed. The training consisted of tightening and relaxing specific muscle groups. The experiment was conducted under an ambulatory condition, consisting of a single physiotherapeutic session (group I) or a single progressive relaxation session using the Jacobson method (group II). The level of anxiety was assessed twice, i.e., immediately before and after the therapy. RESULTS: According to a repeated-measures ANOVA, each therapeutic impact was effective in reducing the level of perceived anxiety. Furthermore, the level of perceived anxiety in group I decreased significantly more than that in group II. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, both the soft tissue manipulation and Jacobson's progressive relaxation techniques were efficient methods of minimizing the negative effects of stress. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2019;32(6):817-24.

Quiet standing postural sway of 10- to 13-year-old, national-level, female acrobatic gymnasts.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to determine whether 10- to 13-year-old, national-level, female acrobatic gymnasts present a different quiet standing postural control (with and without visual cues) than untrained female peers. METHODS: The mean velocity of the center of pressure (in anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions) was computed from 60-s long quiet-standing trials on a stationary force plate in fifteen 10- to 13-year-old female acrobatic gymnasts and thirteen sex- and age-matched non-athletes. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA (acrobatic gymnasts vs. non-athletes and eyes open vs. eyes closed) was used for the anterior-posterior and mediallateral COP mean velocity. The relation between subjects' body mass and COP mean velocity was tested with the used Spearman's Rank Correlation Coefficient. RESULTS: Postural sway (represented by COP mean velocity) was not significantly different between the acrobatic gymnasts and the non-athletes ( p > 0.05), except for the faster medial-lateral sway in eyes-open conditions in the acrobatic gymnasts ( p < 0.05). The gymnasts' body mass negatively correlated with their anterior-posterior sway velocity in both visual conditions (eyes open: r = -0.7; eyes closed: r = -0.6) and with medial-lateral sway velocity during eyes-closed trials (r = -0.5; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Results of the study indicate that in quiet standing postural control 10- to 13-year-old acrobatic gymnasts did not make use of their trained abilities. Heavier gymnasts might have been more stable than lighter ones during quiet standing.